756 Changing Weather
Tim talks about changes in the weather he has noticed in his local area.

Jeff: So you do winter camping and the place you live, do you get a lot of snow there?

Tim: We get quite a bit of snow but it's mostly just up in the mountains.

Jeff: So, lately there's been a lot of talk about global warming. So where you live, do you find that you can see the affects global warming, say with less snow?

Tim: I think you can. I think there's been less snow. That is not quite a noticeable as the glaciers that are on the mountains have gotten smaller and smaller, so I think there has been less snow although it's not real noticeable cause ski resorts are still open and there's still snow out there but to snow shoe but every summer the glaciers seem to be getting smaller and smaller.

Jeff: So you are about - what - 35 now?

Tim: Ah, younger than that actually.

Jeff: Really. So in your thirties, but when you were a boy, when you were young like 5 or 6 and you were playing in the snow, was there more snow back then?

Tim: I think there probably was. One thing is - I told you the snow is in the mountain - and there used to be a lot more snow in the valley where I live and I can't remember the last time we got snow in the valley.

Jeff: Really! So global warming, you think may be is getting worse?

Tim: I would say so. I think one of the biggest affects is we seem to be getting more rain actually. The weather patterns have switched a little bit and it seems like it's been dumping rain. There's been more flooding, so we're actually getting more rain and less snow.

Do you find that you can see the effects of global warming,
say with less snow.

'Global warming' is a scientific phenomenon which involves
an increased average temperature of the earth.

Notice the following:

We studied global warming in school.

What do you think about global warming?

not quite as

It is not quite as noticeable as the glaciers that are on
the mountains.

'Not quite as' is use to compare two things that are very
similar in size or intensity. Here, Tim is saying that the
smaller glaciers are more noticeable than a decrease in the
amount of snow.

Notice the following:

It is not quite as noisy, now that the neighbors have
moved out.

It is not quite as far as you might think.

there used to be

There used to be a lot more snow in the valley where I
live.

'There used to be' means that in the past something was a
certain way, but that is not longer so.

Notice the following:

There used to be so many nice shops in the town, but
most of them have closed down now.

He said that there used to be a good cafe on the main
street.

I can't remember the last time

I can't remember the last time we got snow in the valley.

'I can't remember the last time' means that you are unable
to recall the most recent occurrence of something. We
frequently use this phrase to show that the last time
something happened was a really long time ago.

Notice the following:

1. She said that she could not remember the
last time she went out dancing.
2. I can't remember the last time I was on a diet.

it's been dumping rain

The weather patterns have switched a little bit and it
seems like it's been dumping rain.

'It's been dumping rain' means that it has been raining
very heavily.

Notice the following:

Make sure that you take your umbrella, as it has been
dumping rain all day.

I don't want to drive home tonight. It's been dumping
with rain all day, and the roads will be quite dangerous.